


Tranz

by dreamcore



Category: Gorillaz
Genre: Ends with phase 5, Other, Phase 1, Trans Female Character, Trans Male Character, Trans Noodle, Trans Stuart "2D" Pot, kind of an AU since this is different from canon, not a ship fic 2d is just a good older brother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-26 13:32:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17746799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamcore/pseuds/dreamcore
Summary: Noodle has a confession to make.





	Tranz

Noodle had always been fascinated by the girls that the band would encounter.

No matter who they were- a lady Murdoc was flirting with, a teen girl at one of their concerts, a model on the television- they always caught Noodle's eye. Their long hair, their clothes, their flowery voices; Noodle may have only been a child, but when she grew up, she wanted to be just like the ladies she saw.

Noodle didn't know a lot of English, but she did know how to look at pictures in the magazines she would find. They were magazines with pictures of girls her age showcasing outfits for sale. Noodle wished that she could wear one of those outfits one day. She wished that she could be one of those girls someday.

She had no problem with her name; Noodle was a quirky nickname that she just happened to be given. She didn't know her real name, so it was perfect. The thing that bothered her was being treated like the other band members.

"Noodle may be a young boy, but he's still one of the geniuses behind the recent band Gorillaz," the news reporters would say. "He's going to grow up to become a fantastic young man."

It felt like a punch in the stomach. She didn't want to be a young boy, and she certainly didn't want to grow up to become a fantastic young man. Being called a "he" was one of the worst things that could happen to Noodle, and it happened so often. Her own band members called her a "he", but it wasn't their fault. They had no idea how Noodle felt, and Noodle certainly wasn't going to tell them anytime soon.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get over looking at those girl fashion magazines. It was a source of comfort to see a group of girls smiling right back at her. It gave her hope, in a way, that someday she'll be just like them.

She knew that it was possible; she found out about being transgender a while ago. Noodle found this article translated in Japanese, talking all about being transgender. It was a mind-blowing event for Noodle, finding out that there were women and men and people who weren't either gender just like her. After that article, she started noticing many other trans things around in the world. She saw an episode of a talk show once where the host interviewed a trans woman; she was a lovely lady, and Noodle couldn't help but stare at the TV screen until the segment was over.

Noodle didn't want her bandmates to find out, so she hid her magazines and anything remotely feminine in a box, locked under her bed. Whenever she was done messing around with a tube of lipstick she had stolen from a drugstore, she would stick it right back into the box, so no one would even know that it was in her hands. It felt like the perfect scheme, until it wasn't.

Noodle was reading one of her magazines on her bed, on that fateful night. Like always, she didn't understand most of the words, but imagining herself next to the girls in the pictures was just as good. She assumed that the others were asleep already or relaxing in their own rooms, so she had about an hour to spare before somebody came in to tell her to go to bed. Everything was cool, until her door slowly opened.

Noodle panicked, and she quickly shoved the magazines under her pillow. It wasn't an incredibly smooth move, because she was probably already seen. She put on a nervous grin and looked at 2-D, the frontman of her band.

"'ey Noodle," 2-D said, smiling. "Mind if I come in?"

Noodle shook her head. Her heart was pounding inside of her chest. 2-D came to sit down next to Noodle on her bed.

"I don't 'ave anything else to do, and Murdoc's being a jerk, so I just thought I could 'ang out wif you before you went to bed," 2-D explained.

Noodle nodded.

"What did you shove under your pillow before I came in?"

Before Noodle could make an excuse, 2-D grabbed the pillow and set it on the floor.

She was caught. Oh god.

The expression on 2-D's face looked like a mix between confusion and something else. He raised an eyebrow as he took one of the magazines and opened it.

"Girl's magazines?" 2-D said, confused.

Noodle didn't make eye contact. She stared down at her lap, hoping that she would wake up from this nightmare soon. 

"Noodle, I understand, you don't have to worry. When I was yer age, um, I was getting interested in girls, too, and it was a confusing time and it's all about growing up an' stuff-"

"NO!" Noodle unintentionally screeched. She covered her mouth.

"Huh?"

That wasn't it at all. Girls were pretty and nice, but these magazines weren't because of what 2-D thought. Noodle wished that she could just tell 2-D, but it was too hard, and with Noodle's limited English, it would be hard to get the point across. She was so embarrassed and frustrated at that moment that she started crying. All of those built up feelings of confusion and distress came out in the form of tears.

"Noodle, I-"

"I-I'm a girl," Noodle blubbered. "Not a boy."

2-D raised his eyebrows. Noodle was ready to be yelled at- she knew that this was stupid. She knew that her career with Gorillaz was over.

But that's not what happened.

"So you're- transgender?" 2-D asked.

Noodle nodded. She wished that she could just take it all back now and say it was a joke, but it was too late for that.

2-D gave a soft smile. "It's okay, Noodle. Me too."

Noodle stopped sobbing for a moment and just stared at 2-D.

"I'm not a girl, but I'm definitely a boy," 2-D explained. "The others know. They're okay wif it. I've been taking medication for a couple of years now to help me be comfortable as a boy."

Noodle's eyes sparkled. 2-D giggled at how excited she looked.

"Do you wanna tell the others?" 2-D asked.

"Later," Noodle replied.

2-D wiped the tears off of Noodle's face. "I can help you wif all of this. If you wanna go out clothes shopping or anyfing like that, tell me."

The tears started up again, and 2-D brought Noodle into a big hug. Everything was going to be alright.

-

Noodle did end up telling the others, after a few months. In secret, 2-D had helped her with the beginning of her slow transition. He helped Noodle style her hair, and he painted her nails. When they were alone, 2-D called Noodle "she". It made Noodle's tiny heart burst with happiness.

When Noodle was ready to come out, she and 2-D called for a band meeting in Noodle's bedroom. Murdoc and Russel sat on the bed, while 2-D and Noodle stood in front of them.

"What's all of this about?" Murdoc asked, crossing his arms. "I've got better things to do than this rubbish meeting."

"We've got an announcement to make," 2-D said, a grin on his face. He looked down at Noodle.

"I'm trans!" Noodle nearly yelled. She kind of messed up the pronunciation of trans, but she got the point across.

"Really?" Russel asked, a small smile on his face.

Noodle nodded. "Yes. I'm a girl."

"Did we really need a whole meeting to hear that?" Murdoc asked. "Noodle, I don't care if you're a girl or a boy or anything else. You're still our favorite guitarist."

"How sweet," Russel said, and then chuckled.

Murdoc groaned. "Don't push it."

Noodle beamed with pride. She was glad that this went smoothly; 2-D had to reassure her several times that the others would take it well.

Now that it was finally off of her chest, she was able to be more public about her transition. It was now common knowledge to the public that the little boy in Gorillaz was now the little girl. Some people didn't take it well, but they didn't matter. The others tried to shield Noodle from the transphobes criticizing her as much as possible. Mostly, though, the reaction was positive, and she was officially the girl in Gorillaz.

-

"Are you guys ready?"

2018; About seventeen years after Noodle came out. She wasn't the ten year old little girl that she originally was; she was an adult. It felt crazy to Noodle that she had been on hormone replacement therapy since she was fourteen. Now, she was as confident as ever, or at least she tried to be, when her band wasn't getting into crazy mishaps.

Noodle finished tuning up her guitar and nodded. They were filming their newest video, called Tranz. 2-D wrote the song, and when Noodle first read the lyrics, she and 2-D had a moment of trans solidarity. They were both incredibly pleased with the song, and although many people wouldn't understand the true meaning of it, they were both still happy.

Everyone got into position, and the cameras started rolling. It was time for the band to shine.

"Oscillate yourself tonight, when you're in your bed..."


End file.
